We have changed our privacy policy. In addition, we use cookies on our website for various purposes. By continuing on our website, you consent to our use of cookies. You can learn about our practices by reading our privacy policy.

Literature Glossary

Don’t be an oxymoron. Know your literary terms.

Over 200 literary terms, Shmooped to perfection.

Poetic Form

Definition:

A poetic form just refers to a type of poem that follows a particular set of rules, whether it be the number of lines, the length or number of stanzas, rhyme scheme, subject matter, or really whatever rule you can think of.

The most famous poetic form of all has to be the sonnet. But that's not to say that there aren't a few other ones that are equally awesome:

And we've only just begun. There are forms upon forms upon forms upon forms. And each one has its own variants and spin-offs.